Written Answers

Thursday 20 April 2000

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to suspend the recovery of all agricultural support measure payments such as HCLA, IACS, and the Sheep Premium Scheme until an independent appeal mechanism is in place.

Ross Finnie: The EU regulations governing these schemes would not permit us to suspend recovery of agricultural payments found to have been made outwith their terms. There is an existing appeals procedure for farmers to use which is explained in the scheme guidance literature issued to all applicants.

Justice

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the case of Khaliq versus Her Majesty’s Advocate (1984 SLT 137), (a) how many reports have been received by Procurators Fiscal in Scotland relating to offences of culpably, wilfully and recklessly supplying kits and/or substances for the purpose of inhalation, (b) how many of those reports proceeded to trial, (c) how many trials resulted in conviction and (d) what sentences were passed.

Neil Davidson: No statistics are available indicating the number of reports received by the Procurator Fiscal alleging the commission of the offences referred to. The available statistics indicate that between 1984 and 1998 inclusive, 11 persons were prosecuted in Scotland, where the main offence libelled was culpable and reckless conduct in relation to the supply of solvents. Of those 11 persons, nine were convicted of culpable and reckless conduct. Of the nine persons convicted, two were sentenced to custodial disposals, four were fined and three were ordered to perform community service.

Marine Safety

Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been asked by representatives of the Scottish fishing fleet, or others who sail off the East Aberdeenshire coast, to make representations to Her Majesty's Government requesting that the foghorn at Boddam Lighthouse be brought back into service pending consultation with all interested parties and whether it has made, or will make, such representations.

Sarah Boyack: Safety of navigation is a reserved matter and the responsibility of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. Under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, management and superintendence of all lighthouses, buoys and beacons off the Scottish coastline falls to the Northern Lighthouse Board. The board consults with a range of interested parties, including fishing interests, in determining the need for fog signals.

  The Scottish Executive maintains regular contact with Her Majesty’s Government on a range of issues including matters relating to maritime safety.

Objective 3 Funding

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to address any financial problems faced by Irvine’s Compass Centre for mental health and any resultant job losses as a result of the gap in European Objective 3 funding.

Mr Jack McConnell: As I explained to the European Committee on Tuesday 4 April, I am concerned about the position of a number of voluntary organisations sponsoring European Social Fund projects who were facing a gap in funding between the closure of previous structural fund programmes and the introduction of new ones. I have therefore put in place a guarantee in relation to the funding gap for these organisations to enable them to plan effectively for the new programme and I have asked officials to bring forward as a matter of urgency recommendations as to how such a scheme should work.

Public Appointments

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to publish its consultation paper on Judicial Appointments.

Mr Jim Wallace: I am publishing the consultation paper Judicial Appointments: an Inclusive Approach  today. This fulfils the commitment given in the Partnership Agreement  and confirmed in A Programme for Government , which we published last September.

  We have invited responses by 31 July 2000 and I hope that the consultation paper will generate a wide and constructive debate.

Public Transport

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will conduct an investigation into the provision of public transport to major hospitals.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has no plans to do so.

Rail Network

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received or expects to receive from Strathclyde Passenger Transport regarding the award of Transport Challenge Fund support for the Larkhall to Milngavie rail route and when it will take a decision on the project.

Sarah Boyack: The Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority (SPTA) submitted their outline business case for the project to the then Scottish Office in October 1998. Several issues arising from this submission required further scrutiny. A number of exchanges followed communication of the Scottish Office’s concerns to the SPTA in January 1999. At that time the Scottish Office offered the SPTA help, through its officials, in revising the project’s economic and business case and updating cost benefit calculations previously undertaken. Over the following few months, the Scottish Office and then the Scottish Executive issued several reminders to SPTA about responding to the concerns expressed and also the offer of help. In January 2000, the SPTA submitted a reappraisal of the investment case for the project. However, that information needs to be supplemented by the final figures to be included in the full business case, which SPTA have not yet completed. I understand this is now expected in May or June. Until this further information is received and analysed, Scottish Ministers will not be in a position to reach a view about the project's value for money.

Rail Network

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any financial backing from it for a Larkhall rail link will be subject to the conclusion of a Public Private Partnership.

Sarah Boyack: A condition of all PPP projects is that they should be able to demonstrate value for money. Consequently, the Scottish Executive’s funding of £5 million from the 1998 Transport Challenge Fund towards the cost of the Larkhall to Milngavie Rail route and the level playing field support of up to £2.26 million per annum, for which the project may be eligible as part of the PPP arrangements, depends upon value for money being demonstrated satisfactorily in the full business case for the project which the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority is still preparing.

Roads

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how the Public Private Partnership (PPP) proposed for the A77/M77 upgrade (Malletsheugh–Fenwick) will differ from that used for the Paddy’s Rickle Bridge–Cleuchbrae phase of the M74 and whether the A77/M77 PPP is intended to include operation and maintenance of any other section of the A77/M77 corridor than that to be constructed.

Sarah Boyack: Decisions have yet to be taken on the nature and extent of the proposed Public Private Partnership and the extent of the scheme.

Social Inclusion

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take into account the views of the Scottish Low Pay Unit in any consideration of the best way to encourage socially excluded people into employment.

Ms Wendy Alexander: We would be very happy to consider the views of the Scottish Low Pay Unit so far as they concern matters which are within the responsibilities of the Executive.

Sustainable Development

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the estimated costs of the Sustainable Scotland Group and the Electricity Information Group and the relationship and interaction between both bodies.

Sarah Boyack: The Ministerial Group on Sustainable Scotland, which I announced to the Parliament in the debate on 3 February, met for the first time on 18 January. It considered first thoughts on its programme of work and agreed that an immediate start should be made on indicators of sustainable development. A consultancy is to be let at a cost in the region of £20,000. As yet no other work for which a cost can be identified has been set in train. The costs of running the group itself are not identifiable separately from the overall effort on sustainable development.

  The Energy and the Environment Group, which I chair, considers a range of issues, such as climate change and renewable energy. Close links between the two groups are ensured by an element of common membership. No specific costs are expected to be incurred.

  We are not clear what is meant by the Electricity Information Group.

Water Industry

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of the water commissioner and his office over each of the next three years.

Sarah Boyack: I have set the operating budget of the Water Industry Commissioner at £1,261,739 for 2000-01. I have also agreed that the Commissioner may spend up to an additional £681,000 in 2000-01 on one-off costs associated with establishing the new regulatory regime.

Young People

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take to ensure that young people undertaking Skillseekers programmes are given access to the most relevant training and qualifications.

Henry McLeish: A core component of the Skillseekers programme is that the young person works towards an SVQ up to Level 3. SVQs are competence-based qualifications which reflect the work-based nature of Skillseekers. SVQs are designed to assess the candidate’s competencies against occupational standards and to test understanding of the theoretical part of the qualification. Modern Apprenticeships, which are delivered in Scotland through the Skillseekers programme, include aspects of other qualifications in addition to the SVQ, as part of the Modern Apprenticeship framework.

  The Scottish Executive is considering the range of qualifications which are funded through Skillseekers as part of the "Opportunities and Choices" consultation exercise. An announcement will be made shortly.